Electrically-operated track switch



4April 2o, 192s.

s. STOLP l ELECTRICALLYOPERATED TRAcK- swITcH 'Filed Dep'. 19, 1923 2 sheets-sheet 1 A Y April 2o', 1926.

A 1,581,612 S. S. STOLP ELECTRIC/mm OPERATED'TRACK- SWITCH Filedr Dec. 19, 1923- n 2 sheets-smeet 2 i '/WLFTOLP Patented ipr. 20, 1926.

y l y 1,581,512 entren sfri-xres`l PATENT orrici51-L SAMUEL S. STOLlP, ,0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHO BRASS CO1VJE'A1\TY,vv 0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY. Y

i l ELECTRICALLYOPERATED TRACK SWITCH.

Application filedfDecember v19, 1923. Serial No. 681,591.

To all whom it may concern.'

lie it known that l', Sinner. S. S'roLr, a citizen ot the United States ot America, re-

siding :.rtlvlanslield, in the county oit Richy vland and State ol Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an'` lillectrically-@pointed Track Switch, of

which the following' is a specification.

My invention relates to Velectrically and autoniaticallyY operated jtraclr switches.

@ne ot the objects or niy invention is to produce a system hy which the track switch is electrically controlled hy the operatoren a moving' car as he approaches the switch byV hly invention resides in the new and novelv combination,` construction and relation `ot the various,electrically operated switches, circuits and other parts hereinafter Amore fully described and disclosed in the drawings. n

' ln the drawings cation: j y' i i .liinzl ,is4 a scheinaticview showing the various circuits usually found in electrically operated cars and taken into account in the des-ion and operation ot lny invention.

accon'ipanyinn' iny specililiig. is a schematic drawing' showing),` the.

various parts under normal conditions.

Fie'. o is a schematic drawing` oit inyinvention showing` the lrelation oit the various parts at the-instantthe moving' car coines' into cooperative relation with iny system withl power ont the inotors. 1 y el is a schematic drawing' showingth relation ot the various parts a'ttcr the car has been in cooperative relation with the system tor a predetermined tiine utter engagging the saine with power otl' the motors hut while cooperation Astill exists.V l y Fig. Bris a schematic drawing of iny invention showing` the relation ot the various parte at the `instant the car `engnges kthe sysand thence to ground Gr. Y

Referring to Fig. 2 I employ a Contactv tern in cooperative relation and whileV it re-y innins in cooperative relation with power on. the rnotors.

,Referring to Fig'. various car circuitsA which l` give consideration to Vwhich comprise the heatine; system ll, the light system L andthe compressor circuit F, `all receiving' current troni the trolley wire or conductor through the current collector XV which is mounted on the car hy means ot' the pole 'l andvwliich apparatns also have a ground connection G.

l l have shown the `Y These circuits operating these apparatus andy current :tlowing therein l term the auxiliary car circuits and auxiliary current respeci tively. The cars are also equipped with inotorsM for moving` lthe cars and a controller @operated hy thecar operator and ttor controllino the current to the inotors M. vrlhe auxiliary circuitsare not under the ycontrol o't the controller-*and this 'fact l niust taire into account indesigninzg the system. l/Vhcn 'the controller is thrown to power otl position no current will flow through the inotors M, but when it is thrown to the power on position Ya current oit.' considerahle magnitude will flow through the inotors pan lj to he engaged by the collector lV and which is positioned adjacent/the trolley conductor 1.V rlhe pan lD comprises two parallel contact nienibers 2 and lnorinally insulated 'frein each other, hut one havingl an elecf trical connection with the trolley'conductor through the niedinin or" thecoil winding l on 'the switch A and the conductorsV 5 and 6 connectingthe coil 4 to the` trolley con- 'toY dnctor and contact member 2. The ineinber Y 3 is in electrical connection with the conduc` tor 1 onlyjwhe'n thecollector l engages the pan l). The niernhers '2 and 'S and the con-A ductor l are so related that while the collector engages the pan it will he out of engagel nientI with the conductor l. lVhen the collector V is in contact with the pan the ine-inhers 2 and 3 are electrically connected and it the carv operator has his controller positioned for power on77 the motors, it will he evident that aheavy current` will l'low Y troni the trolley wire through the coil l and its connections, through the ineinher 2 and thence to ground through the niotor M. It, however', the controller is set at the power oil position no current will ilow through with the remaining terminal of the solenoidY the motors M, hut the auxiliary current will flow through the apparatus II, L and F. As this current may amount to considerable and in some instances approach lclose to the motor current, I must design the coil t so that it will not pick up its arn'lature 7, on account oi the auxiliary current flowing therethrough, hut will pick up the arm 7 on account ot the motor current when it flows through the coilt.

I also employ a track switch S provided with a switch tongue 8 andtwo solenoids 9 and 10, each having one terminal connected to the ground through the common conductor 11. The switch is also provided with a reciprocating plunger 12 connected to the tongue 8 hy the connecting linl: 13. IVhen the solenoid 9 is energized the' plunger `will he drawn inwardly and move the switch tongue to the straight ahead position.

vThis solenoid is operated whenever the collect-or engages the pan with powerd oil. `When the solenoid 10 is energized the plunger will r'he drawn outwardly and the switch tongue moved to the cuiwe`position and this operation taltes Vplace k whenever the collector engages the pan with power on.

I also employ a switch B provided with an operating coil 1li having one terminal connected to the switch arm 7 -loy the conductor 'and the other terminal connected tothe contact member 3 loy the conductor 1G.

l/Vhenever the collector engages the pan with i power ott the coil 11i will he energized'and its armature 17 will he raised. This operation 1s due to the circuit 4leading ftrom the trolley Lpan 8 through the conductor 1G, coil 14, conductor 15, conductor 1S which connects the arm 7 with the remaining terminal of the solenoid 10, kconductor 11 to ground' Cr. 'Ihe coil 14, however, is not energized if the collector engagesthe pan with cpower on as later explained. ,l

I also employ an electrically operated switch C provided with two coils 19 and 2O and its switch arm 21 vwhich 'is normally held closed due to the normal energizing of the coil 20. The switch arm 21 is connected tothe trolley conductor 1 by the conductor y 22. One terminal ot the coil is connected tothe conductor 22 or the arm 21 by means oi' the conductor 23and the conductor 2i connects the other terminal of the coil to the conductor which connects the arm 17 9, therefore, there is at all normal times a Vcircuit to energize the coilv2O troni the trolley conductor by way of the solenoid 9 to ground. This will maintain the switch C normally closed. Y

Each of the switches A, B and C are provided with a ixed core or amovahle core'ot -magnetizahle material operating they respective switch arms, all as well known inthe ground connection.

then the switch. B is closed the conductor 29 is connected to ground as evident through the solenoid 9, but even this does not permit current to flow through the coil 19 as then the switch arm 21 acts as a short circuit to the coil 19 and the coil 20 will also he deprived oit its operating current. ior the reason that the conductor 25 will then he in electrical connection with the trolley conductor by alow resistance path, and this will he the equivalent of placing the trolley on both terminals of the coil 2O which is equivalent to a short circuit pon lthis coil.' It the switch B remains closed a 'sufficient length of time the switch C ywill openfai'ter the magnetization of its core drops oil' suliiciently. As soon as the switch C opens, it the switch B still remains closed due to the collector engaging the pan P the coils 19 and 2O will have the short circuit removed and current will then flow through each coil and energize the same. However, I connect these ycoils to operate in ditllerential and, therefore, the energizing o't' these coils will not permit the arm 2O to close, but will remain open as long as the switch B remains closed, which in turn will remain closed as-long as the collector en gages .the pan and the switch B will close whenever the collector engages the pan with power oli the motors.

It theV collector engages the panl with y power on the coil 4 will he strongly enerfrom the contact 3 through the coil 14 and vto ground, hut I so proportion the time ot closing ofthe switches A andfB so that A will close prior to the switch B. As soon as the switch A closes, it will he evident that we have a similar condition with respect tothe coil lt as the coils 19 and 20 when theswitch B closes, that is, when the switch A is closed we virtually'place a short circuit around the coil 1st andit this short circuit takes place before the switch B can close then the switch B will be preventedv from closing.y It, however, the switch B should close prior to the closing of the switch A thenl the switch B will open after a predetermined time, hutthis I prevent, as already explained, hy causing the switch A to he more sensitive in piek up thany the switch B.

CII

Cil

' The windings of thecoils `14, 19 and 2O are of very high resistance so that only'a very small current will flow therethrough and the winding l is made of very low resistance and large wire in order to properly take care of the current which must-flow therethrough and thence through the motors. The switch C does not open when the switch A has been closed by power on the motors. As soon as either' switch A or B closes current will 4iow through the solenoid l or 9 respectively thereby energizing these coils and movingthe switch arm `to .the curve or straight ahead posit-ion respectively. Y K

It sometimes happens that the car will engage the pan with power oil', but will come to rest with the collector in engagement with the pan and if it were not tor the switch C opening the solenoid 9 would be very apt to burn out under a prolonged iiow or' c-urrent, therefore, the switch `C is designed with a ltime release factor permitting the current to low through vthe solenoid 9 for a sufficient time Vto properly saturate the solenoid. VIt the-car operator intends to pass the pan with power on, it is an exceedingly unusual circumstance Yfor him to come to rest with the; collector in 'engagement with the pan and, therefore, I provide no protection ttor power on operation `ot the system, that is, the switch C will not open lor the reason that there is no short circuit about the coil y2O, but. the coil 2O will be in series with thel coil 9, the two directly across the mains, that is, from trolley to groundand thecoil will be energized the same as under normal conditions (F ig. 2) and hence switch `C will remain closed when the switch A is closed.

' To review the 'operation' of the. system, it a. caroperator desires to move straight ahead7 he will cause the collector lV to en gage the pan Pvwith power ofi the mot-ors and as soon as the collector engages the pan the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 53 and for the reasons already explained. It the car comes to rest with, the collector rin engagement with the `pan the switch C will open after a predetermined time and the parts will assume the relation shown in Fig. 4i, the switch B remaining closed as long as the collector is in engage-t meut with the pan. A u t If the car operator desires to take the curve he will move across the pan with power on and the parts will then assume the relation shown in Fig. 5 and remain so until the collector has passedlott the pan, regardless of the length of time kthe collector engages the pan with power on,

There are, oi course, many modifications and rearrangements which may be made of the parts and which will suggest themselves to those :skilled in the art and which will fall within .the scope of my invention, therefore, I do not wish to be limited other than by my claims.

I claim:

l. A switch operating system comprising a trolley conductor, a contact pan provided with a pair oi' contact members to be engaged .by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch, a power circuit leading from the conductor and provided with normally open branches to operate the switch vto the proper position, an electrically operated switch. to close one ot thebranch circuits when the collector engagesthe pan with power on, an electrically operated switch to close'the other circuit when the collector engages the pan with power oii', means to prevent the second electrically operated switch closing when the lirst is closed and means to open the power" circuit after the second yelectrical switch has been closed a.predetermined. time. f

E2.' A switch operating system comprising a trolley conductor, a contact pan provided with a pair of contact members to be engaged by a current collector, an electricallyopere ated track switch, a power circuit provided with normally open branchesto operate the switch to theproper position, kan electrically operated switch to close one oit the branch circuits when the collectorengages Ithe pan with power on, an electrically operated switch to close the othercircuit when the collector engages the pan with` power ott, means to prevent the second electrically operated switch closing when the lirst is closed and means to open the power circuit after the second electrical switch has been closed a 4predeterminedtime.

8. A switchoperating system comprising a trolley conductor, a contactl pan provided with a pair of contact members to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch, a vpower circuit provided with normally open branches to operate the switch to the proper position, an

electrically operatedswitch to close one of the branch circuits when the collector en-V gages the pan with power on, an velectrically operated switch to close the other circuit when the collector engages `the pan with powerfotl, means to prevent the 'second electrically operated switch closing when the iirst is closed, means to open the power circuit after the second electrical switch has been closed a predetermined time and means to prevent the opening means closing after having opened and while the secondv elec` trical switch is ,closed and while the collector engages .the pan.

4. A switch operating 'system comprising a trolley conductor, a contact pan provided with a pair ot contact members to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch, a power circuit provided with normally open branches to loperate the track switch in thc desired direction, an electrically operated switch in each ot the branch circuits to close thebranch circuits one at a time depending whether the collector engages the pan with power ott or power on, and a normally closed switch to open the power circuit and provided with means to maintain it open Yafter a prede-r 'J termined time after the collector engages the '5. A switch( operating system comprising a trolley conductor, a contact pan provided with a pair ot' contact'members to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch,l a power circuit provided with normally opcnlpbranches to operate the' track switch in the desired direction, an electrically operated switch in, each of the branch circuits to close the branch circuits one at a time depending whether the collector engages the pan with power oli or power on, and a normally. closed switch operating to open the power circuit only when the collector engages the pan with po-wer ott. Y i

6. A switch operating system comprising in combination, a trolley conductor, a contact pan provided with a pair of contact members to be engagedby a. current collector, an electrically operated track switch, a power circuit provided with normally open branch circuits to operate the track switch in the desired direction, an electrically operated switch in each branch circuit to close thc branch circuits one at a time .depending whether the collector engages the pan with power on7 or power oli, oneot theeleetrieal switches arranged to be short `circuited by the closing ot the other switch to prevent its closing and electrically operated means to open the power circuit after apredetermined time. f l

7. A switch operating system Acomprising in combination, a trolley conductor, a contact pan lprovided with a pair of contact members to be engaged by a current eollector, an electrically operated track switch, a power circuit provided with normally open branch circuits to operate the track switch in the desired direction, an electrically operated switch in each branch circuit to close the branch circuits one at a time depending whether the collector engages the pan with power on7 or power ott, an electrically operated switch toopen the power circuit and means operating to open the last said switch after one fot the said branch circuitV switches has closed.

8. An electrically operated track switch comprising in combination, a trolley conductor, means to-operate the track .switch electrically, a contact pan to be engaged by operating means, an electrically operated switch controlling each branch circuit separately, each switch provided with a single oper-ating coil connected to the pan and an electrically operated switch to open the said circuit after the collector has engaged the pan for a predetermined time.

9. In a switch operating system thevcom bination of an electrically operated track switch, a contact pan to be engaged by a current collector, a branched circuit conductingcurrent to the` track switch to operate the switch in the direction desired, a control switch in veach branch operating to control the branchcircuits separately and a control switch in the circuit leading to the branch circuits and operating to open said circuit when the systemis working power otll only. Y

10.111 a switch operating system the combination of an electrically operated track switch, a contact pan to be engaged by a current collector, a branched circuit conducting current to the track switch t0 operate the switch inthe direction desired, a control switch in each branch operatingv to control the branch circuits separately and a control switch in the circuit leading to the branch circuits and means to prevent the closing of the last said control switch when the collector lirst engages the pan with power ott and then changes to poweron.

l1. In 'a switch operating systemthecombination of an electrically operated track switch, a contact pan to be engaged by a current collector, a branched circuit) conducting current to' the track switch to 0perate the switch in the direction desired, a control switch in each branch operating to controlthe branch circuits separately and a control kswitch in the circuit leading to the branch circuits and means comprising two differentially connected 4coils to maintain last said switch open while the collector enages the pan with power off.

12. A track switch operating system comprising in combination, a trolley conductor, means to operate the track switch electrically, a contact pan to be engaged by a current collector, a normally closed switch connected to the conductor, Aa branched circuit connecting the normally closed switch with the track switch Yoperating means, an electrically operated and normally open switch in'each branch and arranged to control each branch circuit separately and means to open the normally closed -switch after the collector has engaged lthe pan for a predetermined time. y l

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature,

Y SAMUEL Sp. STOLP. 

